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Vermont Women's Lacrosse News |
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May 20, 2008
Vermont Women's Lacrosse Year In Review |
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The Vermont women's lacrosse team posted one of its most successful seasons in school history in 2008. The Catamounts returned to the America East Women's Lacrosse Championship for the first time since 2003. UVM finished the year with an 8-9 record, and the first non-losing regular season mark (8-8) since 2002. Vermont went 5-1 in America East, setting new school marks for most league wins and the highest finish in the conference standings (2nd).
PROGRESS REPORT
Vermont's five conference wins were the most in school history. In the nine years before head coach Jen Johnson arrived at UVM the Catamounts totaled five league wins. Since she took over in 2005, Vermont has totaled nine conference victories in her four seasons. Vermont's eight regular season wins are the most since the 1993 season (9-4).
MOVIN' ON UP
The Catamounts posted a power ranking of 37 in the LaxPower.com computer rankings. That is a jump of 21 spots from where they finished the 2007 season(58th). UVM also ranks 38 in the women's lacrosse RPI and America East boasts five teams in the top 40, led by Boston University's #5 ranking.
UPSET WIN
Vermont's win over No. 14 New Hampshire was the team's first-ever victory over a ranked opponent in the program's history. The Catamounts nearly repeated the feat against No. 17 Stanford, but fell 8-6 to the Cardinal.
RANKINGS
The Catamounts upgraded their schedule this season and played five ranked team, the most UVM has faced in a single season (No. 5 Duke, No. 11 Boston U, No. 20 Dartmouth, No. 14 New Hampshire, No. 17 Stanford). Boston U, New Hampshire and Duke all advanced to the NCAA Tournament and Duke will play in the Final Four on May 23-25 at Towson University in Towson, Md.
DI DRAW
Junior Kristen Millar had eight draw controls in a win over Albany, including five in the second half, to pass Gloria Lozano of Georgetown who held the all-time NCAA Division I mark for draw controls with 223 in her career from 2001-04. Millar finished the year with 74 draw controls to rank third in the country and has totaled 257 in her career, good for second all-time among the NCAA leaders. Maryland senior Dana Dobbie, the ACC Player of the Year, also surpassed Lozano's mark this season and finished her career with 334 draws and is the all-time leader.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
The Catamounts made their first-ever TV appearance when they took on the Boston University Terriers in Boston this season. The game was one of 12 lacrosse games on the CN8 broadcast schedule and the only women's game on the slate.
VERMONT'S BEST
Millar tallied four goals and four assists in a victory over Albany to become UVM's all-time leader in assists. She broke the mark of 48 career assists held by Abigail Collins set in 1990. She also became the all-time leader in points this year, breaking the mark of 173 career points held by Vanessa Cox '05. Millar, who is also Vermont's all-time leader in ground balls (176), and draw controls (257), will enter her senior season with 178 career points and is 26 goals shy of becoming the all-time goal scorer in Catamount history.
BEAT THE CLOCK
Vermont won back-to-back games against Albany and UNH in the closing seconds. Against the Great Danes, Sarah DeStefano scored with 1.8 seconds left to give UVM its first-ever win over Albany. The following game Kaitlyn Fuller scored with 20.9 seconds left to give UVM its first win over New Hampshire since 1996.
HOME SWEET HOME
Vermont went 5-2 at Moulton Winder Field this season, setting a new mark for the most wins on this home field. The facility opened in 2005 and the Catamounts posted a record four wins on the home turf in 2006.
STREAKING
Sophomore Alison Haigh scored at least one goal in the final 14 games of the year and will carry that streak into her junior season in 2009.
ALL POINTS BULLETIN
Millar will enter her senior season having recorded at least one point in 47 consecutive games, the fifth longest streak overall in the country and third among players with eligibility remaining for the 2009 season.
CONFERENCE CALL
The University of Vermont women's lacrosse team took home two major awards at the annual awards. Freshman Megan MacDonald was named the America East Rookie of the Year, becoming the first player in the program's history to garner the honor and fourth-year head coach Jen Johnson was named the America East Coach of the Year after guiding the Catamounts to a second place finish when UVM was picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll.
Several Catamounts were also honored on the all-conference and all-academic teams. Juniors Jessa Merrill and Millar were named to the all-conference first team. MacDonald and sophomore Sara Buxton earned a spot on the all-conference second team and MacDonald was also named to the all-rookie squad.
Millar, Merrill and junior Daryl Baughman were also selected to the America East Women's Lacrosse All-Academic Team.
TOURNEY TIME
The Vermont Catamounts made their fourth appearance in the America East Tournament and first since 2003. UVM earned the No. 2 seed, the highest in the program's history, and faced No. 3 New Hampshire. The Catamounts fell 15-6 in the semifinals.
ALL-CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD
Millar and MacDonald were named to the America East All-Championship Team for the 2008 America East Women's Lacrosse Tournament.
MAC ATTACK
Freshman Megan MacDonald had an outstanding freshman season. She was named America East Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Catamount to earn the honor in the program's history, and earned a spot on the America East All-Conference Second Team and All-Rookie Team. She finished the year ranked second on the team in scoring with 38 points on 29 goals and nine assists. Her 29 goals set a new UVM freshman record for most goals in a single season, breaking the mark of 27 set by Kristen Millar in 2006.
HANLEY'S A KEEPER
Senior Meaghan Hanley was been Vermont's top goalkeeper since arriving on campus four years ago. She closed out her career as UVM's all-time leader in minutes played (3,542), ranked second in career wins (22), and ranked third in career saves (530).
BUXTON BUSTS OUT
Sophomore Sara Buxton had a successful second season with the Catamounts. After earning all-rookie honors in 2007, she was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team in 2008. Buxton doubled her career point total in her sophomore season alone, finishing the year with 36 points on 29 goals and seven assists. She ranked third on the team in scoring and her season was highlighted with a career-high six goals and seven points in the season opening victory over Connecticut.
SALUTE TO THE SENIORS
Vermont graduated three seniors this season: Mikaela Fein emerged as a solid defender during her four years at Vermont. She has played in 42 career games and scored her first career goal last season versus Boston University. She graduated with a degree in biology. Emilie Clark played attack and was a tri-captain this season. As a junior she exploded offensively nearly doubling her career point total in one season. Clark earned her first all-league honor with a spot on the America East All-Conference Second Team last season. Last year she set a new single-season school record with 14 points in a win over Siena. She tied the school marks for most goals and assists in a single game. Clark is a nutrition and food science major and has already begun work on a master's degree in physical therapy. She is the first student-athlete at UVM to begin the master's program in physical therapy while still competing. An excellent student, she was named to the America East Women's Lacrosse All-Academic Team last season and earned a spot on the America East Academic Commissioners Honor Roll three straight years. Hanley has been the team's top goalkeeper since arriving on campus as a freshman. A tri-captain this season, Meaghan she played all but 200 minutes in her career in the Vermont net. She made nine stops against Stanford to become the fifth goalkeeper in the program's history to record 500 or more career saves. Hanley also ranks second all-time at Vermont in wins with 21. She is a three-time member of the America East Academic Honor Roll and graduated in May with a secondary education degree. Together this senior class of 2008 has been part of 22 victories at Vermont, the eighth most in school history.
TEAM AWARDS
Before the semester ended the Catamounts handed out their team awards. Winners were:
Most Improved: Annie Strout
Unsung Hero: Jill Puffenbarger
Coaches Award: Sara Buxton
Best Defensive Player: Jessa Merrill
Best Offensive Player: Kristen Millar
LOOKING AHEAD
Vermont will return its top five scorers and all four all-conference selections from this season in 2009.
Source: University of Vermont Sports Information Department
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